MFA Teaching Resources Art of India

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Art of India Teaching Resources Overview: Students will visit the MFA’s Art of South and Southeast Asia galleries to explore some of the artistic traditions from this region. Looking at ancient stone sculptures from India, students will learn to identify common features used in representations of Hindu deities and hear the stories of Shiva, Ganesha, and Durga. The teaching resources below include contemporary interpretations of Hindu traditions and tales as well as links to other MFA artworks from India. Curriculum: Social Studies – World History, Cultural Studies, The Arts – Visual Grade Range: 4 – 8 Artworks: Shiva, Indian, 42.120 Ganesha with His Consorts, Indian, 1989.312 Durga as Mahishasuramardini, Indian, 42.120 Living Stories: Modern Adaptations of Ancient Legends Book: Ramayana: Divine Loophole by Sanjay Patel Published in 2010, this is a modern adaptation of one of the great Indian epics, the Ramayana. While there are many adaptions of the legend, this shorter version is full of colorful illustrations (Patel is an animator for Pixar Studios) and is written in a lighthearted tone with accessible language – making it a great introduction to the Ramayana. Patel has also included an illustrated guide to all of the characters, geography of the story, and sketches to show his working process. ISBN: 978-0811871075; available on Amazon or check with your local library. Comic Book: Tales of Durga by Anant Pai Originally published in 1978 and reprinted in 2016, this comic includes adaptations of several tales of Durga, including Durga: The Slayer of Mahish (pages 3-17). This is one of the more than 400 titles published by Amar Chitra Katha (one of India’s largest comic book series) that retell stories from Indian epics, mythology, history, folklore, and fables in comic book format. ISBN: 978-8189999353; available in print and e-book on Amazon or check your local library. Image Credits: Shiva, 42.120; Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha and Kartikkeya, 65.424; Durga as Mahishasuramardini, 42.120 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Art of India Teaching Resources Video: Bal Ganesh - Ganesh Curses The Moon This 4-minute video tells the story of Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu God, cursing the moon. This is an excerpt from Bal Ganesh, a 2007 Indian animated children’s movie. (The full-length English version of Bal Ganesh is also available on YouTube) Click here or visit https://youtu.be/TxegeFQucTo. Video: Morya Re Short clip from a 2006 Bollywood film offers a lively, colorful depiction of a modern Hindu festival with Ganesha sculptures processing through the streets. Click here or visit https://youtu.be/ITJqayVtkFc. What’s Missing? What if we experienced these artworks with all of our senses? In their original temple settings, many of these stone sculptures would have been painted and surrounded by colorful flowers, the movement of dancers, and the sounds of music. Introduce the element of sound into your exploration by looking at and listening to these Indian instruments in the MFA’s collection: Zither (rudra vina); Video performance of a modern rudra vina Lute (sarasvati vina); Video performance on a modern sarasvati vina Contemporary Art from India Using the attached images, let students look at and discuss the MFA’s recently acquired sculpture by contemporary Indian artist Subodh Gupta. Gupta often makes monumental sculptures out of objects from the ordinary life of an Indian citizen. In this 2015 sculpture, he has recreated a sight that is typical in southern Indian villages: bananas being delivered via bicycle. Today, India’s population is flocking to its cities for work and education and, as a result, some ways of life are fading from memory. With a dash of humor, this sculpture preserves the everyday objects and daily routines of village life. To hear from Gupta about his artistic process and the traditions that influence his work, check out this short MFA video: Click here or visit https://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/megacities-asia/artist-statements/subodh- gupta. Image Credits: Shiva, 42.120; Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha and Kartikkeya, 65.424; Durga as Mahishasuramardini, 42.120 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Art of India Teaching Resources Museum purchaseMuseum with funds donated by Xiaohua Zhang and Quan Zhou, 2018 2018.2111 brassCast bicyc Subodh Gupta (Indian, born 1964) in Untitled , 2015 le andle aluminum bananas Image Credits: Shiva, 42.120; Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha and Kartikkeya, 65.424; Durga as Mahishasuramardini, 42.120 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Art of India Teaching Resources Image Credits: Shiva, 42.120; Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha and Kartikkeya, 65.424; Durga as Mahishasuramardini, 42.120 .

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